§ MR. STANLEY LEIGHTON (Shropshire, Oswestry)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, with regard to the case of the National School at Phillack, in Cornwall, whether the sum of £300 has been expended in the last two years on structural improvements, with the warm approval of the Education Department; will he explain why it is that, after the examination in July last, on August 8, the Department made further requirements with respect to the fabric; whether he is aware that, on October 20, the Department informed the managers that—
Upon receiving their assurance that proper plans would be submitted as soon as possible, an order for the payment of the grant would be made,and that such an assurance was given the following day; and whether he will state upon what ground the Department, nevertheless, still withhold both the grant and the Report, and continue to keep back public money already earned by the school?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Mr. ACLAND,) York, W.R., RotherhamAn infant class-room (as to the need of which Her Majesty's Inspector had reported in very strong terms for several years previously) was added to this school in 1892, but the Department have no information as to its cost. Apart from this, the expenditure of the school on replacement and repairs for the last two years is returned by the managers as a little loss than £25. After the inspection in July last Her Majesty's Inspector reported serious defects in the sanitation and ventilation of the school, and the grant was, in accordance with ordinary practice, suspended, in order that the managers might state what steps would be taken to remedy them. No reply was received for more than two months, and the grant was, of course, suspended. On the 19th of October the letter referred to in the third paragraph of the hon. Member's question was sent, and the grant to the school has now been paid.